56 Book of Steamships 



because the sister vessel, of practically 

 the same design, named the President, 

 disappeared mysteriously on her voyage 

 back from the States this after a suc- 

 cessful passage to America. As she was 

 lost with all hands and there was no 

 wireless to tell of her distress, we can 

 only assume that she ran into an ice- 

 berg and foundered very quickly. The 

 Atlantic was not then crowded with vessels, 

 using what are called definite steamship 

 " lanes ", so it is possible that if her 

 boats did get away, they were lost in the 

 next storm. 



Now, looking back again to our " family 

 tree " we come to a very important date 

 1840 and with it the name Britannia. 



The Britannia was the first steamer of 

 a little line which has steadily grown, 

 until to-day it has a commanding position, 

 not only amongst our own companies, 

 but throughout the world. 



A thought must have often come to 

 my readers, something in the following 



